market day

There isn't just one day -- Saturday -- for a farmers market in Madison. Ed and I always go to our local Thursday afternoon market, and I've taken to going to the reduced-in-size Wednesday market downtown, and there are countless others that we could easily reach on other days -- all within a short drive of the farmhouse. But of course the big one is this morning. Around the Capitol Square. 

I go back and forth on whether I love it or am mildly frustrated by it. Yes, I'm a fan when I go with family and we basically treat it as an outing for the kids, for all of us. Yes, I'm a fan when I go there early, say on Rosie the moped, then walk to my favorite stands, coming at them from the back to avoid the crowds. But for serious grocery shopping it can get overwhelming. It's a one-way movement of many people, most of them there for small add-ons rather than your basic food resupplying. And here's the other thing: there is a strict rule that all products must be harvested or made in our county, by the vendor, so that for example even the cheese maker Farmer John could not sell his cheeses there because he uses milk from farmers in and around the county.

Yes, okay, it's good to support local foods grown and produced by local farmers. But it makes for a very limited product base. Meaning, there is a lot of repetition out on the stands. When bok choy, or asparagus, or spinach, or apples are in season, there are very many stands selling them. You can spend a long time going around the Square looking for the very best bok choy or asparagus or spinach or apples, but then you have to go around the whole square again to get to the one you liked best. Is that really a good use of your time? 

 

 

 

And the limitation to our county means that products from elsewhere are not available, so you do have to shop for produce at the grocery store after all. In all the markets I visit across the ocean, there is a mix of local and not local. The vendors must put up signs if the products are from another country and you see a lot of "Spain" in the cooler months, but from the point of view of the shopper, it sure makes it easier to supply yourself with all your fruits and veggies all at the same time, from one market.

Still, when my daughter asked if we could meet up at the market today, I jumped. Because with her, and her kids -- the market is awesome. And what a beautiful day for it! Partly cloudy and mild -- which, by the way, appears to be the forecast for the next ten days. Stunning weather! It makes up for the sticky hot days of July. Now if only the bugs would retire for the season...

(around this time of the year, it's all about the phloxes, monardas, black eyed susans, and false sunflower; in other words, purple and gold)

 

 

(the green froggies find other flowers now that the day lilies are mostly gone)

 

 

(the roadside garden benefits now from the strawberries and cream hydrangeas)

 

 

(feeding the cats: three in the sheep shed, and as of recently -- all these guys, Friendly, Dance, and Pancake -- in the farmhouse kitchen)

 

 

Breakfast with a sleepy and not hungry Ed, on the porch. 

 

 

 

I think afterwards he went back to bed. Me, I drive down to the market.

Even before meeting up with the three kids and mom, I find such a stunning bouquet of flowers that I put my money down on them right away. It's not that it is the only nice bouquet -- this is the absolutely best week for dahlias! -- but I fall in love and there you have it.

And now for the best part of the market outing -- I get to see the kids again. Somehow they missed me (and I missed them) more than usual, so the reunion is joyous and long lasting. 

We do the whole market and it takes over an hour. My daughter has a veggie shopping list...

 

 

 

Me, I'm there to revel in the whole adventure of being there with them. And I have to admit it -- this big market is the absolute best for summer flower buying. The selection is huge and with flowers, that's important. 

(Sandpiper with my flowers)

 

 

(...then with her flowers)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, they all came over to the farmhouse. The younger set plays with their favorites, the older set sits out on the porch. It is the perfect weather for it and of course, there is much to catch up on.

 

 

 

I'm over my post travel wobblyness (is that a word?) and I'm marching through the "just returned from vacation" to do list with great speed and resolution. And I make time for an outing. With Ed. A bike ride and a hike. 

Back at the farmhouse, we speculate how best to address the mosquito problem at the farmette. During our walk in the local park, we came across no mosquitoes or other annoying bugs. That's because the wind had picked up and these pests dont do well in windy conditions. But such winds rarely blow through our farmette land. The trees are tall and dense. A breeze here and there -- sure, we get that, but the big movement of air mostly passes over us. Moreover, the mosquitoes have plenty of spaces to hide, in the thicket of trees, shrubs and flowers.  Ed suggests we put up a network of fans blowing air onto the flower fields when I'm working  in them. But the aesthetics of that! -- I protest. You mean you'd find that to be ugly? Well, ugly is a strong word, but maybe "unattractive?" 

We eat dinner late. I don't know why. Reheated soup and a salad and corn. In the summertime -- and it is still summertime -- it's often like that. Supper with dusk. The mourning doves outside settle down, the chickens are put away for the night. We eat. With utter contentment...

And love.